Whenever I stepped down, they pushed me up, and I wobbled while walking up the stairs without touching them. What if there are traps? At the very top was a huge doorway.
"There's something bad in there, isn't there?" I sighed and got out a sword. No. Let me use the bow. With arrows still dripping with blood, I armed myself and opened the door softly with my foot.
I hovered above the ground and took in the scenery from the crack in the door. So there's a big, scary hobgoblin right there. But behind him is a door. A big door to the outside, hopefully. Several armed goblins are sitting around him or pacing the hall.
No magic users, though. Good. So, who should I attack first? Most of the goblins are level ten, but the hobgoblin is…
[Undead Hobgoblin LvL 28]
[HP: 15,000/15,000]
[MP: 5,000/5,000]
Lovely. Unlike the other monsters, this one is huge, and its skin must be thick. Not to mention, in games, at least Hobgoblins are pretty intelligent. They're organized, disciplined, strong, capable of speech sometimes, and often a good leader.
So I'm fucked.
The only thing I can think of doing is an ambush or a distraction. Something to confuse and cause chaos amongst their ranks. While I slip outside through the door that most likely needs a key.
There's a high likelihood that the keys I have now are just for the cells. So, who has the keys in this room?
The hobgoblin shifts and swings his club to the side at a mischievous goblin. It jumps and gets back in formation. Someone as disciplined as that wouldn't give keys to one of those idiots. If there are keys, they're in his hands or hiding somewhere only he knows. Goddamn it.
I rolled my eyes and thought about fire. Fire is a distraction. I could set the entire hall on fire and close the door on them…Which would either lead to them trying to escape through this door or…escaping through the other door.
Let's do that. God. Fire is just so convenient. Solves so many problems. Now…Let's go get those bodies. I turned off the levitation and went back to the cells.
Once I was done preparing the barricade, splashing the remains with oil and making a tiny fire next to it, I snuck inside the hall and hid behind a pillar. Armed with a flint rock and my knife, I sparked a flame onto a branch. Then with my trusty olive oil, I gave a little splash at the door.
That's so not enough. In my heart, I wept but accepted the sacrifice. I only have two more bottles after this.
Then I threw my burning branch at the door and grinned. Sparks flew.
"Boom."
The door immediately went up in flames, and the hall descended into chaos. The goblins chittered, held their heads, and squealed at each other. Mister Hobgoblin tried to calm them and get closer to the door, but the flames scared it.
Fun fact. Most unholy, undead, and ghostly monsters don't like fire. Most aren't even badly affected by it. Zombies only experience some pain, and that's it. Undead goblins experience a lot of pain, but it doesn't do too much actual damage.
The goblins screamed their heads off at the hobgoblin, and it roared back. It bravely stepped into the flames and used its club to hit the door. It splintered but didn't move. He hit it again and again. Until a body fell through the large hole he had made.
Oops.
The hobgoblin roared and turned around. In my direction. Stomping and furious, it marched over to my previous hiding spot.
Thankfully, I had cast my barrier and ran towards a couple of chairs near the possible exit door while it investigated the barricaded door. The goblins were too anxious about the fire to care, and I made it through just fine. However, my magic was running low.
Come on.
The hobgoblin sniffed and stomped around obviously having caught the scent of another person. Enraged, he shook his head and tried to think.
My eyes turned purple, and I begged him mentally. Just leave! Leave! Cut your losses. My barrier waned, and I flinched. What?
My eyes returned to their normal color, but I could feel a headache coming on. Please!
The hobgoblin stilled and pointed towards the door. He grunted and groaned a few orders, and the goblins sprinted to a wall. Using their swords, they popped a few bricks out of the wall until a wooden box was revealed.
The hobgoblin opened it using a key on its belt and retrieved a key. What else is in there? Curious, I tried to peek without being seen. Just looks like a wooden box. Nothing special.
The hobgoblin marched over to the door, and I maintained my barrier. Come on. He used the key to unlock a lock and chain on the door. The goblins jumped for joy and coughed from the smoke.
The hobgoblin went first and waited at the door like a gentleman for the goblins to skip through the threshold. Now's my chance.
I slipped into the single-file line and ran out the door, and it roared. Fat chance. I dispelled my barrier, used a tendril to grab the box, palmed it, and ran away. From behind me, I heard wind whistling, and I ducked.
He threw his club at me! I hopped over it and ran harder. The goblins screamed behind me, and I kept running. I'm outside!
Nighttime critters scattered, and the moons were out illuminating my path forward. I'm still in Allere, and it's cold out. Snow crunched under my feet, and I almost slipped. Need a place to hide. Trees. Dead trees are no good.
Wait. The marks.
What was it? Ghosts. Danger. Trees. Not in that order, but that's my best shot.
I stopped following the castle wall and darted towards the dead trees. On my heels was the furious hobgoblin who was slower but a lot stronger than I. He smashed at trees and roared in breathtaking anger.
The goblins screamed in response and picked up the pace. What is in this box?!
The goblins almost nicked my hair with rocks, and I pumped my exhausted legs faster. Jerks! Until I tripped. I face planted on wet grass and snow. Barrier. Barrier now!
I cast it just as their weapons came crashing down. Scooching back, I tried not to let them crowd me. My barrier rippled with the increased attacks, and I kept scooching back.
They laughed and screamed before…One of them noticed that their leader wasn't saying anything. He scratched his head and turned around. Only to become paralyzed with fear.